Automatic type of load-carrying trolley and its applications to storage installation on one or more levels

ABSTRACT

A storehouse with parallel corridors containing pallets, with a self-propelling selecting trolley adapted to take the pallets on to a transfer device rolling on a track perpendicular to the corridors and possibly into an elevating device, the control originating from a central point. The motive power and the control signals between the control point, the transfer trolley and the self-propelling trolley are transmitted by cables, continuity being assured on the various routes by winding drums and movable cables, provision being made so that the carrying device cannot move until the carried device attached through its winding-drum to the cable has engaged with the carrying device. Application to storage installations on one or more levels with entrance and exit by service corridors.

United States Patent [19 Coppel 1 AUTOMATIC TYPE OF LOAD-CARRYINGTROLLEY AND ITS APPLICATIONS TO STORAGE INSTALLATION ON ONE OR MORELEVELS [75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: Construction Mills.K, Saint-Ouen,

France 22 Filed: Apr. 26, 1972 21 Appl.No.:247,726

Georges Coppel, Paris, France [30] Foreign Application Priority Data May12, 1971 France 71.17274 [52] US. Cl 104/88, 104/131, 104/147, 104/127[51] Int. Cl B6lj 3/00 [58] Field of Search l9l/12 R, 12.2 R, 12.2 A,19l/l2.4; 104/88, 118, 119, 120, 130,131, 140, 147, 148, 243, 247, 141,144, 145, 127,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 772,734 10/1904 Morganl9l/l2.2 A 1,133,734 3/1915 MacFadden 104/128 2,320,150 5/1943Loughridge 104/88 2,799,186 7/1957 Siekmann 191/12 R 1 Aug. 6, 19742,904,197 9/1959 Asheim 214/16.l C 3,240,291 3/1966 Bingham 104/2433,480,162 11/1969 Saul 214/164 A 3,632,906 l/l972 Alhara l9l/12.2 A

Primary ExaminerLloyd L. King Asxistant ExaminerD. W. Keen Attorney,Agent, or FirmCushman, Darby & Cushman [57] ABSTRACT A storehouse withparallel corridors containing pallets, with a self-propelling selectingtrolley adapted to take the pallets on to a transfer device rolling on atrack perpendicular to the corridors and possibly into an elevatingdevice, the control originating from a central point.

The motive power and the control signals between the control point, thetransfer trolley and the self-propelling trolley are transmitted bycables, continuity being assured on the various routes by winding drumsand movable cables, provision being made so that the carrying devicecannot move until the carried device attached through its winding-drumto the cable has engaged with the carrying device.

Application to storage installations on one or more levels with entranceand exit by service corridors.

4 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAUG 61914 3,827 365 SHEEY 2 [IF 5 QPATENTEU R 6 I974 SHEET 4 0F 5 PATENTEDAUG 8l974 SHEET 5 0F 5 O 5 k mowNQ O: 5. Oa

N am AUTOMATIC TYPE OF LOAD-CARRYING TROLLEY AND ITS APPLICATIONS TOSTORAGE INSTALLATION ON ONE OR MORE LEVELS The invention concerns astock-handling system comprising a load-carrying trolley which canwithdraw and set down pallets in storage corridors, the trolley beingprovided with special arrangements for the supply of its motive powerand control signals, which allow it to leave the corridors and, ifnecessary, to be carried in one or two directions perpendicular to thecorrigors while remaining in contact with its supply, which mayoriginate from a central command post.

Load-carrying trolleys have already been proposed which move on rails incorridors and obtain the power necessary for the trolley motors throughsliding contacts which press on conductors parallel to the line of thecorridor. If it is desired to make the trolley come out of its corridor,either to load it directly or to mount it on a transfer device going toother corridors or to other levels, it is necessary to interrupt theconductors which supply the electricity in each corridor and tosubstitute other conductors carried on the device which transfers thetrolley. For the sliding contacts to function effectively the conductorsmust be aligned exactly at each discontinuity and this presentsdifficult mechanical problems, the solution of which is necessarilyexpensive and complicated. Each time a contact has to jump from oneconducting bar to the next there is a danger of mechanical breakage, andin the case of motor supply conductors, of wear by electric are. If thecontact is in a signal circuit, the join between two conductors can giverise to a perturbation of the signals.

The invention remedies these disadvantages by a cable system whichallows continuity of supply when the trolley leaves its corridor andwhen it is transferred one or more times in other directions by at leastone transfer device.

The system of the invention thus permits the linking, in a reliable way,of the control of one or more handling trolleys which deal with asurface or a volume or storage spaces, to a single control stationsituated at any level outside the storage area.

In a system of load-carrying trolleys for storage corridors, the trolleybeing provided with a loading device and a remotely controlled automaticselector, and being self-propelled and guided on rails, according to theinvention the power and the control signals are transmitted to thetrolley along the corridor by at least one cable attached and connectedoutside the said corridor, the cable being wound on a winch fixed to thetrolley and terminating on the latter through slip-ring connectors whichsupply the trolley components, while means are provided on the winch toensure the winding on or off of the cable to keep it taut between itspoint of attachment and the trolley, according as the trolley advancesor retreats in its corridor.

Thus, in contrast to an earlier system where the According to one formof realisation of the invention, the winch drive is achieved by mountingit on a shaft which can be driven in one direction only by two drivenwheels coupled respectively to a first and a second driving wheel whichare fixed to a single shaft driven by the trolley wheels, the firstdriving wheel driving the first driven wheel in the same sense as itselfthrough a freewheel connection so as not to act in the sense opposite tothat of the winding shaft, the second driving wheel driving, withinversion of sense, the second driven wheel through a free-wheelconnection so as not to act when the driving shaft acts on the firstdriven wheel, while there is interposed between the shaft carrying thetwo driven wheels and the winch shaft, a friction coupling withcalibrated torque, so that as the trolley approaches the point ofattachment of the cable the two first driving and driven pulleys, actingin the same sense, turn the winch to wind in the cable, and as thetrolley moves away from the point of attachment it pulls on the cable tounwind it, but the other two driving and driven wheels tend to turn thewinch shaft in the opposite direction against the friction device whichintroduces a resisting torque.

The system of the invention can be applied to a storage installationcomprising a number of parallel corridors which are served by aperpendicular alley along which travels a transfer device on rails, thetrolley being capable of fitting on the transfer device, where its cableis attached and joined with a second supply device with mobile cable,itself attached to a fixed point, means being provided to stop thetransfer device in a predetermined position according to which corridorsthe trolley has to work in.

In the case, the second device with mobile cable may be a second winchsystem identical with the first and installed on the transfer device.

It may equally be a known system a slack suspension working on lateralsliding supports in the transfer alley.

A second application of the system of the invention concerns a storageinstallation comprising a number of levels of parallel corridors with afacade along which travels perpendicularly to the corridors, a transferdevice comprising a trolley which moves on a track at the lowest level,the trolley having one or more elevator columns carrying a loadingplatform on to which the trolley coming from one of the corridors can befitted, this system comprising the same elements as in the precedingcase, but with a supplementary vertical winder to connect the trolleyand platform cables.

According to a third application, a storage installation comprises atleast one storage level which is above an access level, the said storagelevel having a number of parallel corridors ending in a transfer alleywith a transfer device on rails, the transfer alley including theloading surface of a lift capable of receiving the transfer device andits load, the transfer device comprising a winch whose cable ends at thelift platform and can be connected to the cabin, means of control beingprovided to co-ordinate the position of the lift cabin with the levelwhere the transfer device is working, and at least one mobile feed cablefor this device being provided between the lift cabin and the fixed partof the building.

In this application the trolley can, as before, fit on the transferdevice and stay there when this device moves vertically in the lift.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear in thedescription which follows, given by way of an example of a realisation,with reference to the following attached drawings:

FIG. 1 is a simplified schematic perspective of the principal device ofthe invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective to show the arrangement for winding the winch.

FIG. 3 is an end view of the trolleyand cable guides.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the load-carrying trolley.

FIG. 5 is a schematic layout of corridors and a transfer alley.

FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective of one way of joining the mobilecables of the trolley and the transfer device.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an application with a transfer device.

FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective of a multilevel storage installationwith an elevator on a trolley.

FIG. 9 is a perspective of a transfer device with its loaded trolleyinside the lift cabin.

FIG. 10 is a variant, shown schematically, of a transfer device able tocollect two trolleys and to take them into the lift.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view of the connections between the transferdevice and the lift.

In FIG. 1, 1 indicates an automatic handling trolley which can movealong channel-section rails 2, 3 which follow the line of the corridorin which they are installed. The trolley is of the type described in theFrench Patent Application no. PV 84 689 of 23 Nov. 1966, with howevercertain differences of construction which will appear below. It issupported by rollers 4 on the flanges 2a and 3a of the correspondingrails. The upper surface 5 of the trolley can be raised and lowered by adevice in the interior and in its lowered state is slightly below theupper flanges 2b, 3b of the rails, so that on being raised it picks up apallet placed on the rails, such as can be seen in FIG. 7. The storagecorridor ends at a loading and unloading station shown at 6 on the leftof FIG. 1 and comprising rail sections 2', 3' which prolong the rails 2and 3. The construction of the trolley is shown in FIG. 4, FIGS. 1, 2and 3 being intended to show the main features of its working. Thetrolley is self-propelling on the rollers 4, whose axles are joinedthrough a transmission to a motor on the trolley. The power and thecontrol signals are sent to the trolley through an automaticallyunwinding cable 7, which in the example of FIG. 1 is connected at itsend 7a to a fixed power outlet 8 at the unloading station. The cablepasses under the trolley and enters from below, being guided by a device9 of normal construction on to the drum of a winch 10. The diameter ofthe winch is sufficiently small for it to be mounted within thethickness of the trolley 1. Its axis is extended to carry a slip-ringdevice 11 which forms, through sliding contacts, the electricalconnection for the trolley circuits, shown in general by 12. The winchshaft is provided with a driving device 13 represented by a cube in FIG.1, the details of its operation being shown in FIG. 2. The winch 10 ishorizontally mounted on a shaft 14 perpendicular to the rails 2, 3 ondiagramatically represented bearings 16.

The shaft extends through a coupling 17 to a shaft 15, which receives arotatory movement from a parallel 4 shaft 18 driven by a toothed pulleyl9 meshing with a chain 20.

The chain 20 is driven by a drive originating from the movement of thetrolley. A first transmission between shafts 15 and 18 consists of twoaligned pulleys 21 and 22 mounted respectively on one and the othershaft and connected by a belt 23. Pulley 22 is keyed to shaft 15, butpulley 21 is mounted on its shaft 18 through a freewheel device 24 insuch a way that pulley 22 can only be driven in the sense F whichcorresponds to the sense F of the chain 20 and to movement 8, of thetrolley, which is towards the station 6.

A second transmission between shafts l5 and 18 is provided by twotoothed wheels 25, 26 which mesh with each other to give oppositedirections of rotation to the two shafts 18 and 15. But wheel 26contains a free-wheel device 27 which allows shaft 15 to be driven bythis second transmission only if the chain 20 moves in the oppositesense F which is the sense corresponding to movement of the trolley awayfrom the point of attachment of the cable (sense S It follows that, ifthe trolley moves towards its point of attachment (sense S pulleys 21,22 are operative and the winch winds in the cable if the coupling 17allows.

In fact this coupling is of the electromagnetic powder type and it iscalibrated to ensure the drive between shafts 14, 15 for the normalwinding torque.

If, on the other hand, the trolley moves away (sense S the winch itselfpulls on the cable and unwinds it, but the chain 20 moves in the sense Sthe pulleys 21, 22 are inoperative because of the free-wheel 24, and thewheel 25 turning in the sense F drives wheel 26 in the sense F As thewinch unwinds the cable it turns in the sense F which is contrary to Fhence the two halves of the coupling 17 are being driven in oppositedirections and the adhesive torque is exceeded. This results in slippingwith a resistive torque which ensures a constant tension in the cable.

Thus in the event of the sudden stopping of the trolley the cableimmediately stops unwinding, and when the trolley restarts in eitherdirection the unwinding or rewinding can start without jerks whichcause'damage.

Another characteristic of the arrangement is seen in FIGS. 1 and 3. Thecable rests in a gully 28 which may take the form of an upright Usection. This profile also allows the separation of the functions ofsupporting and guiding the trolley. For this reason, the rollers 4 whichtravel on the lower wing of the channels 2, 3 do not have flanges. Thetrolley is provided on its lower surface with guiding rollers 29 onvertical axes 30, which engage with the outside of the wings of thechannel 28 and thus act as longitudinal guides for the trolley 1.

The trolley, whose construction is shown in FIG. 4, is a box open at thetop, with a bottom 31 and sides 32, 33 (see also FIG. 3).

Interior cross-members and braces 34, 35 and anglepieces 36 allow thefixing of the different elements. The trolley is carried on two sets ofrollers 4 at either end, the rollers being keyed to transverse axles 37which pass through blocks 38 fixed to the sides 32, roller bearings 39being interposed between the axles and the blocks.

A driving motor 40 and its control apparatus, not described in detail,is situated adjacent to one pair of axles 37 and connected to themthrough a normal transmission 41.

The other pair of axles 37', mounted similarly to the first pair, arecoupled by means of chain wheels 42; also on one of them is mounted acontrol pinion 43 which drives the previously mentioned chain 20, anintermediate guide pinion 44 being provided. The centre of the boxcontains the winch device whose function has already been described withreference to FIG. 2. A box 45 encloses the parallel shafts l5 and 18.Connecting these shafts are the meshing wheels 25, 26 which reverse thesense of rotation and the pulleys 21 and 22, which in this case aretoothed wheels turning in the same direction by means of the chain drive23. The shaft ends at the electromagnetic coupling 17 whose otherelement is keyed to the winch shaft 14. This shaft also carries a pinion46 which drives the cable guide 9 by means of a chain 47. This knowndevice is not described in any more detail. It receives the cablearriving at the trolley through an opening in its base and the tworollers 48, 49. The cable, which is not shown on FIG. 4, ends in thewinch l0 inside the slip-rings 11, which have sliding contactsunderneath each ring.

The trolley also contains four cams 50 to raise its upper surface. Atone end of the trolley two cams 50 are fixed to a transverse shaft 51,which carries chain drives 52 to two cams at the other end.

The shaft 51 carries a chain drive 53 linking it with the lifting motor54. These devices, which already exist and do not form part of theinvention, will not be described in any further detail.

The rest of the description presents different applications of thetrolley with mobile cable by showing, in a non-limiting manner, somecombinations using the same idea.

The arrangement limited to the form of FIG. 1 permits the stowing andwithdrawing of storage pallets in a single corridor and loading orunloading them successively at the end. It is also possible to have anumber of parallel corridors containing pallets, with the possibility ofmoving pallets from one corridor to another by means of a single trolleywhich can be transferred perpendicularly in an alley V at the end of thecorridors.

This system is schematically represented by FIG. 5, in which the trolley1, which is in corridor B, is able to move on to a transfer device 100mounted on rails perpendicular to and lower than the corridor rails.Movement of pallets can be effected between one or other of thecorridors A, B, C and D. It can also be arranged to move pallets from anentrance E into a corridor, or

from a corridor to the exit L at the end of the alley.

Commands and instructions must necessarily be provided to send thedevice 100 to corridor B, to order the movement of the trolley l withits load on to the transfer device 100 and to send this last to anothercorridor for the inverse manoeuvre.

In this combined case, the electric connections are made entirely bymobile cable as is shown in FIG. 6. The trolley 1 moves in corridor Bwhile drawing in its cable 7, whose end is this time joined to aconnector 108 fixed to the transfer device 100. This last carries asecond winch 110 with a collector 111 joined through its slidingcontacts to the point 108.

The cable 107 of the winch 110 may end at a junction box leading to acontrol and power distribution station.

It becomes evident in this case that the transfer device is closelylinked with the trolley, and that it cannot move so long as the trolleyoperates in a corridor and has not remounted the transfer device. This,however, is not imperative if the point 108 can be disconnected manuallyor automatically, i.e. if the transfer device can abandon a trolley in acorridor.

FIG. 7 gives a view of an actual installation following the layout ofFIG. 5. It shows, moreover, a two-tier sys tem of storage corridorsserved by a single transfer device which moves perpendicularly. The twostorage levels are parallel and identical, the advantage of thisarrangement being evidently to save one transverse track with acorresponding motor device. An elevator, not shown and not forming partof the invention, allows transfer of pallets between the two levels. Thesingle transfer trolley comprises a framework formed of a movable basewith two parallel chests 55a, 55b transverse to the track of the alley,on which they roll. The sides of the chests 55a, 55b are provided withrail sections 112, 113 which correspond to the tracks in the lower-levelcorridors. The trolley 100 is surmounted by two pairs of legs 57a, 57b,57c and 57d, each pair joined by a cross-member 58 and forming atrapezoidal arch. These arches are out away at the top to form a cradle59 whichcorresponds to an extension of a track from an upper corridor.The sides 60 of the cradle support lateral rails 2 and 3', while aU-iron 28 rests on the middle of the cradle.

The references 2', 3' and 28' were used to suggest the same componentsalready described with reference to FIG. 1, since the arrangement oftheautomatic trolley 1a of FIG. 7 is the same as that of the trolley 1of FIG. 1.

The trolley lb of the lower corridors in FIG. 7 is arranged in the sameway. The two levels of corridors forming the rows labelled A, B, C as inFIG. 5 are superposed by means of a metal framework comprisinghorizontal beams 62 and vertical beams 61 which are the normalcomponents of metal framework, not further described in detail.

For the electrical connections between the transfer trolley and thecentral control station, it has been preferred in the case of FIG. 7 touse a known slack cable device.

It is easy to fix, on the horizontal frame elements 62, a sliding track63 in the form of a hollow rail which supports moving hooks 64 on towhich the straps of the hanging cable 107 are attached.

This cable system 107 is functionally equivalent to the cable-windingsystem shown in FIG. 6. The cable 107' contains sufficient conductors tocontrol both automatic trolleys 1a and lb.

According to another application, shown in FIG. 8, parallel storagecorridors are situated on several levels, for example:

level 0-A B C etc. level l-A B C etc. level 3-A B C etc.

An elevating trolley 200 moves on a track V perpendicular to thecorridors and along their frontage. The

corridor assembly is somewhat elevated above a substructure G so thatthe platform 64 of the elevator is able to get .down to level 0. Theelevator 200 is a known type of trolley with a horizontal table guidedby vertical columns and operated by jacks or by a screw. The table 65supports a platform 66 which is adapted for the invention.

If the top floor of the installation contains corridors A B C E theplatform 66 is shown at the level of the corridor E In this corridor, asin all the others, is found the rail arrangement of FIG. 1, the platform66 being provided with rail portions 2 and 3' and a central guide 28 forthe cable 7. It is clear that the elevating trolley constitutes thetransfer device, as did the trolley 100 of the preceding example. I

The trolley 200 is provided with a constant tension winder 210 for itscable 207, this last being anchored and connected to a fixed controlpost P. Further, the electrical continuity between the base of theelevator 20] and its mobile platform is ensured by a second winder 220which is situated in the body of the trolley. The winder 220 unwinds acable 221 vertically, this cable being attached at 208 on the platform66 to the end of the cable 7 of the automatic trolley 1. The winder 220may be of a known type employed in lifts. It is provided with collectingrings which are joined to the rings of the winder 216. Thus theelectrical continuity from the control post P is achieved through thehorizontal cable 207, the vertical cable 221 and the cable 7 of thetrolley 1.

Some electrical constraints must necessarily be provided to preventfalse manoeuvres.

When the elevator trolley is in the position shown in FIG. 8, it canonly be set in motion if the trolley 1 is in the position called end ofcycle, i.e. it has returned with its cable 7 to the platform 66. Asystem of counting of the levels will determine how far the platformmust descend and how far the trolley 201 must travel.

The control signals to ensure that the trolley stops in exact alignmentwith the desired corridor are sent by magnetic or optical controllers orby known devices called proximity switches. All the conductors formotive power for the trolley 200 and the trolley l as well as for themotor and position controls are included in the cables 207, 221 and 7,of which the continuity is al ways ensured.

In a more general way the invention may be applied to an installationwith corridors on a large number of levels and with a lift for verticalservice, as is shown schematically in FIGS. 9, 10 and II. The route V ofthe transfer trolley 100 is interrupted by the shaft T of a lift 300.

It is assumed in FIG. 11 that the trolley 100 is oppposite a corridor C,while the lift shaft is opposite a corridor.

The disposition of the transfer device 100 and the automatic trolley 1is the same as in FIG. 6, with winders respectively 110 and 10, thetransfer device moving on rails 102 and 103 of the track V. The cable107 of the winder 110 is fixed to the platform 310 of the cabin 300 ofthe lift, in a junction box designated generally by 308. A hanging cable307, as normally used for the control of lifts, is connected to thisjunction box.

As can be seen in FIG. 10, the cabin will have two hanging cables, oneto control trolley 1 and the other for the normal lift controls.

As is shown in FIG. 9, the cabin 300 contains rails 302, 303 placed soas to come opposite the rails 102, 103 of the track V at the appropriatelevel.

The cabin must be designed so that the transfer device 100 can movelaterally on to the track V, but also so that if the transfer trolleydoes not leave the cabin, the automatic trolley can leaveperpendicularly into the corridor A, as shown by the arrow H on FIG. 9.Further, it is obvious that it must not be possible to start the liftuntil trolley 1 has returned to trolley and trolley 100 with its load ison the platform 310 of the cabin, as is shown in FIG. 9. It is aquestion of a complete lift-control arrangement, the details of whichare not described since they are well known to those in the art. Itshould be noted also that all the controls originate from a centralstation and the cabin may, therefore, be deprived of the usual interiorbuttoms. The control of the central station, not being part of thepresent invention, may comprise various combinations of orders which areeither registered in electronic memories or realised by anelectro-mechanical device.

A possible sequence of events may be as follows: the arrival of trolleyl on trolley 100 authorises the movement of trolley 100 the arrival oftrolley 100 on the lift platform 310 authorises the movement of the liftthe stopping of the lift at the required floor authorises the departureof trolley 100 the stopping of trolley 100 in front of the requiredcorridor authorises the departure of trolley 1 from trolley 100.

Equally a system of subordination could be used, according to which thefact that trolley 100 has stopped sends an impulse giving the order tostart trolley 1 since trolley 100 has arrived at its destination. But asupplementary condition must be introduced: the stopping of trolley 100in the lift does not authorise the departure of trolley 1 unless thecommand is that trolley 1 leave perpendicularly.

Many combinations of manoeuvres are, hoever, possible within theframework of the system of the invention.

Another variant with a lift is shown in FIG. 10. Trolley 100, whichmoves on the track V, is long enough to carry two trolleys 1c and 1d,the dimensions of cabin 300 being adjusted to allow it to receive thelonger trolley 100.

As before, the cabin 300 is connected by the cable to the winder of thetrolley 100, with a hanging cable 307 for the automatic trolleys and ahanging cable 320 for the lift proper. But in this variant the cables 7cand 7d of the trolleys 1c and 1d are disconnectable by automatic mobilepoints 1180 and 118d, so that trolley 100 can take trolleys 10 or 1dalong the passage, or it can abandon them to go and work elsewhere.

This example illustrates the great flexibility of the system for manyvariations.

FIG. 10 shows also a lower level of the lift shaft leading to a route V1 which comprises an entrance E on one side and a delivery exit L on theother side for pallets entering or leaving the store.

Many other variations may also be realised without departing from thespirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. Automatic load-carrying system for storehouses having a number ofparallel corridors with a frontage for entering and leaving on at leastone level, the said system being provided with a loading devicecomprising a self-propelling trolley adapted to take the loads and toput them on any point of a corridor, a transfer device rolling on atrack perpendicular to the corridors, means for removably fitting thetrolley on the transfer device, means for rolling the transfer devicealong the track and for stopping it opposite a predetermined corridor inwhich the trolley is to work, and an automatic selector controlled froma distance, the motive power and the control signals being transmittedto the loading device by at least one cable fixed under the trolley andconnected to the outside of the working area, the cable being wound on awinch fixed to the trolley and ending on it at a slip-ring connector forsupplying the trolley, means being provided on the winch for ensuring,according to the direction of travel, the winding or unwinding of thecable so that it remains taut between its groove having two edgesserving as guides for pairs of rollers fixed to the trolley.

3. Carrying system according to claim 1, wherein the trolley cable isfixed to the transfer device where it 5 joins with a second supplysource with a mobile cable fixed to a point outside thetransfer deviceleading to a control station.

4. Carrying system according to claim 3, characterized by a transferdevice rolling on a track at the lowest level, the said transfer devicehaving at least one elevator column carrying a loading platform on towhich the trolley coming from one of the corridors can be fitted, with afurther vertical winder to connect the trolley and platform cables.

1. Automatic load-carrying system for storehouses having a number ofparallel corridors with a frontage for entering and leaving on at leastone level, the said system being provided with a loading devicecomprising a self-propelling trolley adapted to take the loads and toput them on any point of a corridor, a transfer device rolling on atrack perpendicular to the corridors, means for removably fitting thetrolley on the transfer device, means for rolling the transfer devicealong the track and for stopping it opposite a predetermined corridor inwhich the trolley is to work, and an automatic selector controlled froma distance, the motive power and the control signals being transmittedto the loading device by at least one cable fixed under the trolley andconnected to the outside of the working area, the cable being wound on awinch fixed to the trolley and ending on it at a slip-ring connector forsupplying the trolley, means being provided on the winch for ensuring,according to the direction of travel, the winding or unwinding of thecable so that it remains taut between its point of attachment and thetrolley, the winch axle being provided with two free wheels in oppositesenses working respectively in the two directions of movement of thetrolley in cooperation with an adjustable friction torque ensuring aconstant tension in the cable.
 2. Carrying system according to claim 1characterized in that, between the point of attachment of the cable andthe end of the road traversed by the trolley, a U-shaped central grooveis provided for the cable, the groove having two edges serving as guidesfor pairs of rollers fixed to the trolley.
 3. Carrying system accordingto claim 1, wherein the trolley cable is fixed to the transfer devicewhere it joins with a second supply source with a mobile cable fixed toa point outside the transfer device leading to a control station. 4.Carrying system according to claim 3, characterized by a transfer devicerolling on a track at the lowest level, the said transfer device havingat least one elevator column carrying a loading platform on to which thetrolley coming from one of the corridors can be fitted, with a furthervertical winder to connect the trolley and platform cables.